Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pleaded with his compatriots to “turn on your brain” and get vaccinated as the country struggles to contain a surge in coronavirus infections, reports AFP.

Ukraine has reported 26,870 Covid cases in the last 24 hours — a record for the ex-Soviet country.

“I ask everyone to switch off social networks and turn on your brain,” Zelensky said.

“We must get vaccinated,” he said during a trip to the southern port city of Odessa, adding that “it is the only solution”.

Despite three vaccines being available in Ukraine — AstraZeneca, Pfizer and the Chinese-made CoronaVac — only about 20 per cent of Ukrainians are fully vaccinated.